High school students who attempt to control weight by engaging in unhealthy behaviors - fasting, purging, or using diet aids without a doctor's advice - are also more likely to have substance abuse problems. Only lifetime marijuana use in girls was lower among those who engaged in unhealthy weight-control behaviors. Among the 13,917 teens who participated in the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, 20 percent of girls and 10 percent of boys reported unhealthy weight-control behaviors during the past month.
Source:
Pisetsky, E.M. et al. Disordered eating and substance use in high-school students: Results from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.International Journal of Eating Disorders 41(5):464-470, 2008. [Abstract]